


Would you take me in?

by oxymoronbby



Category: The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxymoronbby/pseuds/oxymoronbby
Summary: "Watch me," he says but he doesn't move from where he was leaning. He had a pretty good observation point to both the window and my cooking. "You're really not doing it right."
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Would you take me in?

**Author's Note:**

> So KD posted a song, Everything by Lifehouse, today (yesterday?) and the title is from the song.
> 
> Also, I did not read over this one, we die like men. It was supposed to be Rune/Brand but my love for Addam kicked in and that's why there's no relationship tags. It honestly felt like writing a mini but without the interesting things happening. Is that how KD feels? Like writing a fanfic?

* * *

It was rare that I was allowed the chance to make breakfast in my own house. Manor. That's a far way to come, but I was sure I was doing it right, with the right people.

Anna was training with Addam this morning and Quinn was watching silently from an open window. He seemed to be looking at something else entirely and I wasn't sure if I could talk to him. Addam saw me fumbling around Quinn and only smiled, as if to say everything was alright. I liked his smile. Especially when he smiled at me. 

Max and Corbie were out to feed Flynn, with Queenie. Max has taken a job at a coffeeshop in the center and usually walks with Layne on his shift days, but today he was free. I heard him being loud about it right before Quinn got out of their room. He told me he would be at it for a while and then he didn't stop talking about his free day the whole morning. He was sweet about it though, telling Corbie how they're gonna play today (not sweet enough to not make Corrine want to send him on a 3 miles run but still sweet). 

We told him is not at all necessary but Brand's comment about not being able to swear unless you have a good reason seemed to work like that for him. And we didn't stop him because it seemed to be good for him, to actually experience existing outside of the Sun Estate. Him and Layne looked like they were having fun about that, coming home with coffee in the evenings. Brand gave him exactly one week. It has been three weeks. 

Today Layne got out the door alone but I saw Max waving at them from the backyard. Layne seemed both a little sad and mischievous waving back.

I wasn't sure where Corrine was because she and Brand said they were gonna train but it was only half an hour and Brand is already back, bitching about my cooking. 

"My talent is obvious only to the people watching closely," I say. 

"Your talent doesn't fucking exist, Rune. You're just burning those." 

"What I'm doing is a perfect omelette, the way the kids like it." 

He goes behind the counter, busing himself with the arranging the knives, muttering "The kids would rather eat dirt than this." Needless to say, I was not enjoying this kind of bullying. I was a better cook than Brand was giving me credit for. 

"You gonna put peppers in that?" 

"Yeah, Anna likes them."

"I don't."

I got another plate out to place the omelette and salted it only a little. I throw salt in the eggs when they're in the pan but I see Anna taking a bite and then putting salt over almost everything even after you did it for her. 

I don't point out the fact that him telling me how he likes omelette kinda means he's gonna eat what I'm cooking. The way I know him, he might already know and regret that. 

"That's why I'm making yours separately," I tell him. "And I'm making you toast too." It's off-handed but I hope he gets that I will definitely burn it and make him eat it anyway for the times he wouldn't let me eat. I turned to him when I saw he was looking for coffee and allowed myself to just look at my Companion. I could feel him trying to untangle his thoughts but I said nothing. His eyes were even bluer than when I woke up. 

"Where's Corrine?" 

"She saw Addam and Anna and went over to tell him everything he did wrong."

"As she should," I laugh. 

"Not a fan of his training?" He got himself a cup of coffee and went to lean on a chair, looking at me. 

"I just find it funny when Addam looks both composed and confused when he's being criticised. And Anna deserves time with Corrine." 

Theoretically this is brunch for everyone else and breakfast only for me, as everyone already ate hours ago, but they all need a break and I didn't want to eat alone, so cooking it is, I said to myself. Brand did try to wake me, I give him that, but I was tired and grumpy and no matter how annoyed he was he still left me a few more minutes. After that I guess he forgot about me because I slept a few more hours. I woke up again when he sat heavily on me late in the morning, telling me Corbie was unstoppable. I asked what happened. He only sighed. 

"How's Corbie now?" I ask. 

"Don't even. I was not made to keep up with kids." He keeps drinking the coffee but he looks almost ridiculous in his brooding. "He went and showed Flynn the grounds, all by himself. Then he came and said he's going to sleep and fell asleep on my bed. It was six in the morning." 

"Wha- Ha! Oh, I remember the energy." I chuckled silently. I really remembered the need to be up, the energy that wouldn't leave you until you did something. I remembered and missed it. 

"And then Anna came to tell me it was time to train. To tell _me_ it was time to train." He sounded so offended it was way funnier than it should be. "I told her if she could take her brother and let me rise up I will show her the basis of throwing a knife. You won't fucking believe what she did."

"What did she do?" 

"She took Corbie and got him to his room, just like that, without waking him up. I mean–how?" 

"Fun fact, Corbie is actually a pretty heavy sleeper when he's happy. You would have been fine with pushing him a little to the side." I place his omelette on a plate too and put in on the counter. "You're not eating until everyone is here."

"Watch me," he says but he doesn't move from where he was leaning. He had a pretty good observation point to both the window and my cooking. "You're really not doing it right." 

"How do you cook eggs in a wrong way?" 

He takes another long sip. "Your way." 

I don't question that, I know he'll eat anyway. I turned back to start Quinn's plate when he came in behind me. He didn't say anything, only leaned his forehead on my shoulder, he kept his arms crossed, with the cup resting over his forearm, the way he usually did. I didn't even need to see it. His simple touch calmed me down a little. 

"Can I know what the fuck is going on?"

"Just woke up thinking."

"This always goes bad," he whispered. I didn't really care about what he was saying, him beside me was more calming than I thought it would be. He slowly moved his chin on my shoulder and looked over the window. I could see the blue of his eyes out of the corner of mine. When I woke up with him, in this house, it almost felt like we were kids again. 

Then he pushed me off the side of the bed and it truly felt like we were kids again. 

I was trying to make everyone's food the way they liked it. Quinn usually ate it hot so I was making him the last one. He liked it with bacon but Brand was making it hard for me to move around and I didn't really wanted to make him go away. He got the idea and handed me the plate of bacon I cut earlier. And leaned into my side, looking into the room and me looking out the window. I could see Corbie jumping around and Max smiling at him until they went around the building, towards the beach.

"Tell me what you were thinking about this morning."

"Tower. Justice." I didn't know how to say it all without making him worry. He was also deep in thought, the fact that we haven't yet called each other out means this is working towards a long conversation. "All the things I need to get done in order to truly call myself Lord Sun. To be a true Arcana." The power I could have had if only I would have done the right thing at the right time. The power that has always been mine, the one I can barely touch. So much, so much and not enough in my possession. 

"You are an Arcana. Nothing can change that." He was fierce but his body was relaxed against mine. He was sure of it, whatever he thought I was, he was sure of it. "We'll get through this." 

"I want to be the Arcana that manages to keep safe the people I love." I sighed. "It feels like there's so much more to do and no time at all. Like the options are closing and I need to take care of them now." 

"I think you underestimate the brute power you have under your own roof." He was silent for a moment. I could have called him out for drinking coffee so late in the morning, he might as well drink a glass of water. I didn't, only because I finished mine right before he came. "This is good for them, we're good for them. I think we're doing the right thing."

"Of course we're doing the right thing," I say. "Look at Anna, at Max. At how they evolved, at who they are going to be. And I can't wait the surprise that is gonna be Corbie."

"Layne is also a mystery. They train alone and I bet they know more about their power than they tell us. I can't wait for that surprise."

"It almost looks like we are building an army."

"I think that's what we've been doing since that night." He looked at me with tired eyes and pinched mouth. "I think it all finally comes full circle." 

"The power will do anything to stay in power. I don't know what I'm supposed to do to get the power."

"Let's just eat and we'll talk after," he says because Max and Queenie entered the kitchen, followed by Anna and Corrine. He leans forward and slowly touches his forehead to mine. "It will be alright you bitch." I only look up at him in silence. This conversation already dried me out. 

"I'll eat outside." I take my plate and get out the door before Max can ask what's going on. 

The truth is that I am worried. For me and for them and it's hard to turn it off, to only think about tomorrow when I don't know where I'll be in the eyes of other Arcana. New Atlantis had only the name, no one actually wanted anything new.

Addam came to me but did not say anything in the way that Addam usually doesn't need to say anything. He was a clear point to focus on in that moment, a bright and quiet continuum. At least I hoped. He didn't touch me, he only sat down with me until I looked back at him. At his calm burgundy eyes, at the light that seemed to empower him. I smiled weakly and he smiled right back, leaning his forehead on mine, the same way Brand did.

"What happened, Hero?"

"What would you say if I tell you I was afraid?"

He looked me right in the eyes, he always did. His daring approach of life was contagious. I looked right back.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters to how I respond. Because if you think something is going to happen with us, the thing I'm going to say is that we all are either capable or working to be capable of taking care of ourselves. And if you think something will happen between us," he whispered, his voice a rough, quiet scene, "then I will tell you that I won't ever leave you. Unless you specifically ask me to."

"You can't still think-"

"It's a silent belief of mine that you are my _talla_ , Hero. I don't think I will change my mind."

"Your doing a mistake," I tell him. Because it's true and it feels true. But at the same time I wake up on certain mornings and look up at him laying beside me and I think that's the best think I have ever done, let Addam in my life.

"Nothing has been a mistake since I met you." He closed his eyes and then pushed me with his forehead a little, just to come right back and kiss me on the eyebrow. "And if you're afraid something is going to happen to Brandon, I can tell you that one of his duties as a Companion is to take care of himself as well as of you." He was so serious I couldn't bring myself to say anything. "He knows his own safety is as important to you as is your safety to him." I put my hand on his chest and he hooks his on the back of my head, pulling me in. 

It was a sunny day and I could see the light reflected in his eyes, the wind ruffling his braided hair. He finally gave in and let Anna braid it, even though I wasn't sure he needed to gave in. I think that was the first time Anna ever asked. I placed my plate down before I tucked those stray strands over his ear and kissed him on the cheek, really close to the mouth. I might be less afraid with him here to hold me. Might.

"So even though you are an awful cook, we'll still stay here to cherish that."

"I am not! You're smiling. Why are you smiling? My food is great. Are you sure you don't have Brand's plate? I burned his. On purpose." 

"I'm sure," Brand said from behind me. He got out the door as casually as a tiger. Even in his own home he would still be tensed with attention. "This is disgusting."

"I don't see you throwing it away," I point out. "Did you came here to tell me how bad it is?" I turn to him and I stay there because the outside light just takes him in, so naturally, with all that black and his rigid stature. He would have been a statue in another times.

"I came here because the kids are tiring. Someone else take care of those monsters."

"I'll go. Queenie deserves to eat in peace," Addam said and got up with a chuckle. He kissed me on the cheek and turned to Brand as if to give him the same salute. Brand only stared at him until Addam smiled back and touched him lightly on the shoulder.

"You don't really think they're monsters," I say after Addam leaves.

"They're way too loud." He was chewing on a piece of toast, just looking into the green of the backyard. It suited him, being here, in the openness of the day. "Let's take a walk, then you'll tell me what the fuck gotten into you about you not being a real Arcana. Whatever you think about that, I know for sure what you are."

"What would that be?"

"A little shit."

I laughed and took him by the waist when we rose to our feet. "OK, let's take a walk."

He walked me on the beach, with our shoes far away by the manor, in the blinding sun and the easy breeze. I leaned into him and he took my weight immediately. My head hurt but I knew I was going to be alright.

"I want to have this for as long as I live."

"You will. We'll just have to keep protecting it."

I turned and kissed him lightly on the cheek. I didn't say anything afterwards and neither did he. I wanted to ask him what troubled him this morning but he was calm now so I allowed myself to fall into his steadiness. 


End file.
